#OctPoWriMo Day 6-Following Desire

 I'm not exactly sure what my dreams and desires are anymore. They have changed so much over the years. This year in particular has completely pushed me into short-term plans rather than acting on any desires I might have. As to following desire all I can say is that the one I am currently trying to achieve is simply to get through this challenge. Baby steps are all I can manage right now and that's enough for me. So, while I did not write on following desire, I did write on having the opportunity to do so. I hope you are managing to follow your dreams and desires and/or will be given many opportunities to achieve them!

Capital Gains

By Jessica Kay

 

Hopes and expectation

Rarely stand the duration

Of truth’s reality

And so brings frustration.

 

In actuality

We bargain a plea

That life grants us one request,

This one idiosyncrasy,

 

That this, our bequest,

Is given, and addressed,

An opportunity, and maybe a second chance,

To reach our dreams and, in them, invest.

#OctPoWriMo Day 5-Creating From the Heart

Creating from the heart is not where I went with Day 5's poem. Instead I thought about the word "create" and its definition while also thinking about the myriad ways we create. Again, no poetic form for this one.

Creativity

By Jessica Kay

 

Synonyms:

build

              (foundations, relationships, bridges)

conceive

              (ideas, thoughts, life)

actualize

              (thoughts/emotions/actions)

 

 

hatch

              (plans)

fabricate

              (lies and deceptions)

institute

              (decrees, orders, decisions)

to bring into being

              (order or chaos)

 

imagine

              (a new way of being)

discover

              (new life and new civilizations) J

shape

              (humankind into a kinder, more compassionate being)

#OctPoWriMo Day 4-Falling

I've got nothing to add to today's prompt which is to write about falling. I am going to simply let my words speak. And no form as I'm just finding it too difficult to deal with today.

Leap of Faith

By Jessica Kay

 

I feel there is nothing in falling,

I am weightless, perhaps

But there is no fear;

 

Fear came before I took the leap,

Not knowing if I’d fly or die-

Fearless now am I

 

As the air rushes around my body

And I still breathe,

Though the ground rushes closer,

 

My options dwindle,

And the truth reveals itself.

#OCtPoWriMo Day 3-Beauty In Chaos

 Day 3 prompt gave me anxiety. I'm not good artistically speaking and I feel I'm at a disadvantage when compared to others. This is why I've put this prompt off until today. I'm just not happy if I don't have clear guidelines or boundaries. An interesting thing if you consider that I have written poetry since I was 13. I've always written in whatever felt "right" to me, and I never considered poetic forms unless I had to use them in school. 

Still, what with the pandemic and quarantine, I did what many people did and tried to use the time to learn something new. What did I choose? Get ready for some more irony...I chose watercolors. Yeah. One of the more chaotic mediums. *shaking my head* Go figure. Even better, one of the first lessons I chose on YouTube was making splotchy tie-dye birds. I am not even kidding. Chaos on top of chaos. But it was fun and turned out so much better than I thought it would. Now I make them all the time because they are so easy to do.

Unfortunately, that's pretty much what I've stuck to. So I turned to drawing but I ended up frustrated and decided coloring books are easier. Incredibly, using colored pencils in detailed coloring books for adults gave me the order I wanted. And yet...

I still feel at a disadvantage. But I'm not giving up. I try and try and try again, and maybe someday I will realize that the disadvantage is all in my head. 

But I definitely see the beauty inherent in just letting things go and do as they will. It creates some amazing things.

So here is my poem based on the watercolors I did today. 

1st Painting

2nd Painting

Final Painting

Beauty Through Chaos

By Jessica Kay

 

Blowing through straws

              Creates random splotches

Frustration abounds and I can’t get past

 

The smudges and blotches to see

Anything but muddy pools and

              Ink stains

 

Even when

random shapes are let loose

                                           The light seems lost within them

              Even when I try to bring it out with metallic paint

Random             ness      is            not        my         favorite

 

Give me order and patterns

For that’s where I feel

Whole and

Safe and

Secure.

#OctPoWriMo Day 2-Vulnerability

 

For Day 2 of the poetry challenge we are to write about being vulnerable or what makes us feel vulnerable using either Haiku or Lannet. Since I wrote a loose Kyrielle for Day 1 I thought I'd do Haiku today. Haikus are supposed be about nature/seasons but I used the form rather than the traditional definition. However, I did use a nature aspect to describe a verbal attack.

 

 

Fear

By Jessica Kay 

 

Toxic vapors spread-

The wound is open and bare

-My heart lies broken

Ill words rob the strong

-The serpent’s bite is deadly-

I die as he leaves.

#OctPoWriMo Day 1-Shine Your Light

Today begins the first day of October Poetry Writing Month, or OctPoWriMo. It's the perfect day to begin a journey into the world of poetry and exploring what that means to you through prompts and the inspiration of others.

Before I post my response to today's prompt I'd like to let everyone know that this is my new blog. Previously I was using WordPress and my blog name was www.lunaticpoet.com. The last few years I've had problems with it and currently it appears that my webhost, GoDaddy, has made it unavailable. I may not be able to recover it. With that said, until then this is my new home. So if you knew me before this is the new place. Welcome. I haven't written much in awhile but am trying to get myself back in the practice.

Now, on to today's poetry prompt. It is shine your light, which is also the theme for the month. With this whole year feeling like someone threw all the balls up in the air it's been hard to figure out what our new normal is. It's felt dark and frightening at times. Yet, even within the darkness light has streamed forth in good deeds done by simple acts: a boy saving his sister from a dog attack, babies being born healthy despite the contagiousness of Covid-19, and people sharing their talents and offering free lessons in art and cooking and even technical skills. For some of us we may have tried new things while others of us turned to our tried and true hobbies to help battle the dark. I am learning to watercolor and draw and am learning to color using colored pencils (best color theory teacher, I think). I'm not very good but I am learning and the lesson here is that I am trying. I think we all are. That's what my poem is about because sometimes simply trying to get through is enough.

Try and Try Again

By Jessica Kay

 

She tried to shine her light today

But circumstances had their way.

She tried to laugh and dance and sing

She tried, and that was everything.

And even though the storms were strong,

She held her ground, she sang her song.

Blown about like a child’s plaything,

She tried, and that was everything.

Then the sun came out, shining bright

Only diminished by Her light.

Strong and true like a golden ring

She tried, and that was everything.

 

She tried to shine her light today.

She tried…and that was everything!